University at Albany graduates think and
act globally, and use their talents to
better the world.

Several years ago, Hallym University
Graduate School of Social Welfare Dean Nam
Soon Huh was shocked by articles in the
South Korean newspapers about the hardships
faced by the growing number of children
being raised in poverty.

"There were the most awful stories about
hungry children in the newspapers," Huh
said. Huh earned her doctorate from the
University at Albany's School of Social
Welfare in 1997. Building on the skills she
gained at UAlbany, she is considered a
leader in her country who has transformed
the way Koreans advocate on behalf of
vulnerable children and families.

"Building on
the skills she gained at
UAlbany, she is considered a
leader in her country..."

The Asian financial crisis of 1997 had
left many families homeless and in debt.
Family violence was on the rise, there were
more child abuse and neglect cases, and
divorce rates were quadrupling.

Worse yet, there was no way out. Only six
percent of children born to poor families in
Korea had a chance of bettering their lives.

"We decided that just writing these
articles was not enough – we had to
do something,"
said Huh.

Huh responded by founding "We Start,"
which provides free meals, tutoring, and
dental and eye care for children in poverty
up to age 12.

Dr. Huh, a
1997 University at Albany School
of Social Welfare alumna, has an
international reputation for
advocating for poor children and
their families. (Photo by Mark
Schmidt)

At a recent UAlbany appearance, Huh said
We Start has grown from one center in 2004
to 18 serving 5,000 children. Huh was
welcomed by School of Social Welfare Dean
Katharine Briar- Lawson and by Vice
President for Research Lynn Videka. Huh was
also honored with the Excellence in Public
Service Award given by the University at
Albany Alumni Association last month.

It's not that parents did not want to
help, Huh said. Most were working long hours
as fishermen, field workers, housemaids or
dishwashers, and had little food to leave at
home for the children. Grandparents, who in
some cases could not read or write, were
raising grandchildren.

Children who started school behind rarely
caught up. Huh explained classes are large
and the education system in Korea so
rigorous, there are no special teachers to
help students catch up once they fall
behind.

We Start villages have been so successful
the Korean government will launch a similar
program in 16 cities and provinces
throughout the country later this year, Huh
said.

UAlbany's
School
of Social Welfare faculty consistently
rank among the top five schools in the
nation for their research and scholarship,
ranked according to per capita productivity.
Like its faculty, alumni like Huh are an
impressive force as they pioneer new
services, teach and conduct research in
communities around the world.

Huh has built international partnerships
with other schools, including UAlbany, which
hosts Hallym students each summer for two
weeks.